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Apart from its water-lily pool, Chai"s decor is simple. And the prices are rock-bottom: Plump, crunchy peanut dumplings are $1.50 apiece, and most curry, noodle and meat dishes cost less than $10. Chef Amornrat Aksaranan flavors his Thai recipes with subtle twists: The khao pad lychee is a toss of light, fluffy fried rice with fleshy bits of the eponymous fruit; chicken bathes in an unusual floral-perfumed yellow-curry sauce. Lean, smoky slices of barbecued beef are a stellar choice, particularly when accompanied by the green-papaya salad.

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